Thomas ingham



UNTTE STATES ATENT Prion,

PROCESS OF DYEING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,790, dated August 5, 1890.

Application filed October 28, 1889 Serial No. 328,467-

(No specimens.) Patented in England February 20, 1889, No. 2,984.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS INGHAM, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Oheetham, Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented Improvements in Dyeing Woven or Knitted Fabrics of Mixed Vegetable and Animal Fibers, (for which I have applied for British patent, No. 2,98%, dated February 20, 1889,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the mode of producing black and other colors upon woven or knitted fabrics of mixed vegetable and animal fibers, such, for instance, as cotton and wool. Hitherto such mixed, woven, or knitted fabrics could not be dyed at one process after weaving, except certain limited classes, by the use of aniline dyes; but it has been the practice in the case of fabrics composed of cotton and wool, for instance, either to dye the cotton warp by means of a mordant and a coloring-matter previously to weaving, and to weave the same with an undyed woolen weft, and afterward to redye the cloth with a coloring-matter which was fixed by oxidation upon the woolen fiber; or in some cases the cloth was woven or knitted with both the cotton warp and woolen weft in the gray or undyed state, then subjected to a inordant and a coloring-matter to dye and fix the vegetable fibers, and afterward with a coloringmatter and an oxidizing agent to dye and fix the animal fibers, so that in either case there has always hitherto been a double process of dyeing (once with .a niordant and once with an oxidizing agent) to dye the mixed fabric. According to my invention I am enabled to weave both the cotton and woolen yarns in the gray or undyed state, and then to dye and fix the color upon the mixed cloth (after weaving) at one and the same operation.

My improved process is as follows: I first thoroughly cleanse the goods by boiling water, or by a boiling solution of soda-ash, caustic soda, carbonate or bisulphite of soda, carbonate of ammonia, soap, or othersuitable detergent; then wash in cold water and dry the same. I next pass the cloth in the open state through a vessel containing the necessary coloring-matter and fitted at the end with suitable rollers or bowls, so as to nip or squeeze the cloth after leaving the vessel, only allowing it to carry the required percentage of coloring-matter, the quantity of which can be regulated by increasing or decreasing the pressure on the cloth by weighted levers, springs, or screws, as usual in such apparatus.

I would here remark that although for the sake of clearness I describe the apparatus which I prefer to employ for this purpose, I do not wish to confine myself to the use of such apparatus entirely; nor do I make any. claim to the construction of such apparatus, which is well known and in ordinary use for similar purposes. Afterpassing through the coloring-matter, as above described, the cloth is dried by means of hot air or by passing over heated cylinders, or in any other suitable known manner. The cloth thus dyed and dried is then oxidized and the color fixed and rendered permanent by passing the same (in the open state) through another vessel containing the oxidizing agent in solution. This latter may be a solution of any, or a mixture of some, of the following, viz: bichromate of potash, bichromate of soda, bichromate of ammonia, chromic acid, nitrate of iron, sulphate of iron, sulphate of copper, carbonate of soda, or sulphate of soda. The strength of this solution and the mixture where such is used will vary with circumstances according to the nature of the coloring-matter employed, as will be readily understood by any practical dyer; but for'the sake of illustration I may say that a solution of bichromate of potash of a strength of 3Twaddle will be found to be suitable for fixing the coloring material upon the fibers. After passing through this oxidizing-vessel the cloth should be again nipped or squeezed by passing between rollers for the purpose of saving, or not wasting more than is necessary of, the liquoror solution which is contained in I the vessel. This vessel is followed by another vessel suitable for washing the cloth in cold water in the open state.

Thenext treatment consists in thoroughly cleansing the cloth by passing it through hot water or hot water and soap, or through water and common soda, or water and carbonate of ammonia. This latter process can be effected either while the cloth is in the open state or in the twisted or rope form. Finally, the cloth is washed in cold water and dried.

The coloring-matters employed for dyeing may be varied considerably, and many wellknown or other dyeing solutions may be employed; but I will here mention a few dyeing solutions which I have found to answer well with my improved process.

For black: Sixteen gallons of extract of logwood liquor at 10 Twaddle; two gallons of extract of quercitron-bark liquor at 10 Twaddle; twenty-two gallons of water heated to about 120 Fahrenheit.

Anotherblack: Eighteen gallons of extract of logwood liquor at 10 Twaddle; twentytwo gallons water heated to about 120 Fahrenheit.

Blue-black: Sixteen gallons of extract of logwood liquor at 10 Twaddle; two gallons extract fustic liquor at 10 Twaddle; or, two gallons extract of quercitron-bark liquor at 10 Twaddle; or, two gallons extract Persian berries at 10 Twaddle; one and a quarter pounds of benzo-azurine blue dissolved in two gallons of hot water, and half pound of common soda crystals, or one pound carbonate ammonia; twenty-two gallons water heated to about 120 Fahrenheit.

Brown: One pound and a half of cutch or catechu, one gallon hot water, one and a half noggins acetic acid. Dissolve and add onesixteenth of a gallon extract of f ustic liquor at 10 Twaddle; one thirty-second of a gallon extract of logwood at 10 Twaddle, heated to about 140 Fahrenheit.

Another brown: Two gallons fustic liquor at 10 Twaddle, half gallon extract of peachwood liquor at 10 Twaddle, or of sapan-wood at- 10 Twaddle; half gallon of extract of log- Wood liquor at 10 Twaddle; five gallons water at about 140 Fahrenheit.

Bronze or gold shade: Sixteen gallons extract of fustic liquor at 10 Twaddle, twentytwo gallons water heated to about 140 Fahrenheit.

I may repeat that I do not claim any of the above as new or special dyeing solutions, or

as constituting any part of my invention; but I give them as illustrations of solutions which are suitable for use with my new process.

What I consider to be the principal novel features of my improved process are as follows:

First. Submitting a woven or knitted fabric of undyed mixed animal and vegetable fibers (after suitable cleansing) to a bath of the coloring matter or solution without any mordant whatever, and then drying the same.

N. B.This drying operation after the absorption of the necessary amount of coloring material is most important, as it prevents any appreciable quantity of the coloring-matter from being dissolved out and wasted before the oxidizing agent has fixed the same.

Second. Oxidizing the coloring material on the dried fabric by any of the solutions or agents above named, or by any other known oxidizing agent which will have the same property of indelibly fixing the colors upon both the vegetable and animal fibers at one and the same operation.

I claim The process of dyeing woven or knitted fabrics of mixed vegetable and animal fibers,

(such as yarns woven together in the gray state,) consisting in first submitting the mixed fabric to a bath of the required coloring matter or solution without any mordant; second, drying the fabric; third, oxidizing the coloring material on the dried fabric by passing the same through a solution having the property of fixing the colors upon both the vegetable and animal fibers at one and the same time, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' TI'IOS. IN GHAM.

WVitnesses:

J NO. HUGHES, CHARLES A. DAVIES. 

